This Surgical Oncology Training Program is designed to attract and train physicians with a clinical background in surgery in a two-year fellowship of basic oncological research. The major emphasis of this program will be on the development of research skills that have a translational applicability to clinical surgical oncology. This will be accomplished through an intense, personal involvement of the trainee with an established cancer research investigator at the University of Florida/Shands Cancer Center who has experience in the training of physician scientists. The trainee will be expected to fully participate in the research program of the cancer research investigator, and will therefore interact with other post-doctoral fellows, graduate students and basic science faculty. In addition, each trainee will also have a clinical mentor in surgical oncology to help to coordinate the trainee's translational research focus. The first year of the program emphasizes research methodology, coursework, and basic science techniques to ensure that the fellows receive the knowledge and methodology in various fields of cancer research. Formal coursework will be completed by the trainee in individualized programs such as genomics, signal transduction/cell signaling and apoptosis, and stem cell biology. As the individual's own research project matures, they will formally present their work to the Program Planning Committee to ensure successful completion of their training plan. Furthermore, they will be expected to submit and present their findings at national and international meetings. Selection of the trainees will be competitive and will be for individuals who have either completed their clinical training, or who have completed two to three years of residency, if they demonstrate exceptional promise as academic surgeons. A total of two trainees will participate in the program, one fellow being selected annually for a two-year period. The overall goal of this training program is to prepare outstanding surgeons with the research training in surgical oncology to successfully compete for and obtain transitional funding with the ultimate goal of becoming independent investigators in surgical oncology.
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